Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Thank You Snow Angels

I've loved seeing posted pictures of kids making snow angels. Even more I've loved watching Mountaintop's Snow Angels at work. As of just a few minutes ago we have been able to get
all of our kids, parents and most of our staff and teachers home and now it’s time to begin saying
THANK YOU to some of our Snow Angels!

Thanks to some awesome angel drivers (the ones I know of
include Chuck Bates, John Bates, Fred Miller, Phil Salter
and Philip Oswald) we have
successfully gotten almost all of our staff who were stuck on the mountain
home.

Thank you angelsLaird
Crump and the teachers who remained to make sure all our kids where reconnected to their parents (many who struggled all day to get there).There are a few
Chambers tenants who are also still stranded so thank you angel Willie Dillard who volunteered
to stay to cook dinner and breakfast for those who can’t get home and to make
sure the heat stays on all night.

I will certainly miss some names but to mention just a few of the many angels deserving of thanks:Willie -
along with Jeff Beard – have been
amazing.Chris Conner and Scott Mains
turned the Student Center into a home away from home.Kristen
Oswald and Jen Crowell made the
atrium a hospitality suite. LaDonna
Rauschfound toothpaste and toothbrushes – that was an amazing gift this
morning. Craig Peterson made sure we
got paid and I even learned how to make coffee (look out coffee bar team here I
come)!

Mixed into that were hundreds of acts of simple
kindness that reflect the Good Samaritanstories we are hearing from all across Birmingham.I overheard (or was part of) dozens of great
conversations and I expect we will have a few guests checking us out on a
Sunday because they were our guests in the storm last night!

As we head into the evening there is much to be
thankful for and much to continue to lift up in prayer.Pray for staff, parents and others who, along
with so many others, are still trying to make their way home this evening.Pray for those whose only home is a
shelter.Pray for those who like our
staff who are still “on the mountain” caring for someone else tonight.Pray for first responders and all those
serving to protect us.

And finally as I look toward the weekend and the
launch of our series on Job the verse I can’t get out of my mind is:

To the snow, He issues the order: “Go!
Fall on the earth!”

Job 37: 6

PS:

Mountaintop Church Offices will remain
closed Thursday.

We will open
as we are able on Friday to make sure we are ready for Sunday. Sunday is a big
day kickoff to a new series and we want to be ready!

Mountain Tots will be closed Thursday
AND Friday.

After truly
exceptional efforts Laird and his staff need to get some rest!Mountain Tots will reopen on Monday.

PS - If you are stranded around 65 and 31 Mountaintop Community Church is still open for anyone in need.

About Me

FIVE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE YOU:
Enthusiastic, creative, witty, passionate and talkative. OTHER PLACES GOD HAS TAKEN YOU: I was born in Charlotte, NC and grew up in Charleston, SC, Studied in Clemson, SC; Genoa, Italy and Atlanta, GA, Practiced architecture in Charleston, SC and Orlando, FL , Pastored churches in Atlanta, GA; Baton Rouge, LA; Mt. Pleasant, SC; Menlo Park, CA; and Houston, TX. WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT MOUNTAINTOP: Senior Pastor / Primary Teaching Pastor. WHAT'S ONE BOOK THAT HAS IMPACTED YOU?
Basic Christian Leadership by John Stott. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO IMPROVE YOUR INTELLIGENCE? Married Kim and became dad to Kelli, Jennifer and Jamie - and now father-in-law to Jay and soon CJ. They all make me smarter! Along the way I also earned a BS in Design and Master of Architecture from Clemson, became a Registered Architect in Florida and earned a Master of Divinity from Columbia Seminary. WHAT'S YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE? Convincing people that Mountaintop is one word and that the second "t" is not capitalized.